Baby walker



E. L. BOWMAN.

BABY WALKER.

APPLICATION F lLED APR. 28, 1920.

1 ,4O4,572, Patented Jan. 24, 1922 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

25 I avwewboz Edwm L. Emwman E. L. BOWMAN.

BABY WALKER. V APPLICATION FILED APR.2B, 1920. 1 ,404,572. 4 PatentedJan. 24, 1922.

2 5HEET.SSHEET 2. v

i 0 O Q 'i W x UNITED STATES EDWIN I. BOWMAN, OF GARDNER, MASSACHUSETTS.

BABY WALKER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J an. 24, 1922.

Application filed April 28, 1920. Serial No. 377,276.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, EDWIN L. BOWMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Gardner, in the county of Worcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Baby'Walkers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to baby walkers, and the primary object of theinvention is to provide an improved baby walker which is so constructedthat the same can be knocked down or collapsed so as to occupy arelatively small space in shipping or storage.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide an improved baby walker inwhich a made up lower frame is substituted for the costly hoop or guardmember now used on baby walkers on the market, so as to reduce the costand labor in making the walker.

7 A further object of the invention is to provide an improved babywalker having a novel upper frame for carrying the supporting seat andfor forming marginal flanges for the food tray, so as to preventarticles from'being displaced from the tray.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved means forassociating the tray with the supporting structure so as to ermit crumbsor the like to be readily brushed off of the tray.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved babywalker of the above character, which is durable and efficient in use,one that is simple and easy to manufacture, and one which can be placedupon the market at a reasonable cost.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following detaileddescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification, in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved baby walker.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the same.

Figure 3 is 'a bottom plan view of the upper supporting section, thelegs bemg removed, and

Figure A is an enlarged fragmentary transverse section through the babywalker, showing the means of securing the tray to the upper supportingstructure.

Referring to the drawings 1n deta ls, wherein similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the sevtermediatecross bar 18.

eral views, the letter A indicates the improved baby walker which can bemade out of wood, metal or any other desired material. The improvedwalker A includes the outwardly and downwardly inclined supporting legs5, which have their upper terminals reduced as at 6 for insertion in theopenings 7 formed in the longitudinally extending guide bars 8 of theupper supporting structuref), which will be hereinafter more fullydescribed. The openings 7 are preferably at an incline to theperpendicular so as to permit the legs to extend outwardly at an angleto the upper supporting frame to forma relatively large supporting basefor. the walker, so as to prevent the accidental tipping over of thesame when in use. The lower terminals of the legs 5 are secured togetherby the longitudinally extending side bars 10 forming a portion of thelower frame 11. The outer terminals of the longitudinally extending sidebars 10 are also reduced and tapered as at 12 for insertion in suitableopenings formed in the legs 5. Transverse brace bars 13 are connected tothe legs 5directly below the longitudinally extending brace bars 10 andthe transverse bars 13 have their terminals reduced and fitted insuitable openin s formed in the legs 5. To prevent the accidentaldisplacement of the longitudinal braces 10, and the transverse braces 13from out of the sockets formed in the legs 5, and the legs againstdisplacement from the openings or sockets 7 formed in the longitudinalbrace bars 8 of the upper supporting frame 9, suitable screws 14 areprovided for engaging the terminals of the brace bars and supportinglegs as clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.

The lower terminals of the legs 5 carry casters 15 which may be of anypreferred form or type. The casters 15 permit the baby walker to bepushed around in any direction, by the baby.

The upper supporting frame 9 includes the oppositely extending side bars8 and the end transverse cross bars 16 and 17 and the in- The transversecross bars 16, 17 and 18 of the upper supporting structure 9 have theirterminals tapered and fitted in suitable openings formed in the innersurface of thelongitudinally extending side bars 8. These brace bars areformed of material having a less diameter than the side bars 8 for apurpose which will be hereinafter more fully described.

The intermediate transverse brace bar 18 is arranged relatively near theforward transverse bar 17 so as to form end flanges for the tray 20which will be hereinafter more fully described, and for forming arelativelylarge opening. inthe rear portion of the walker for thereception of the baby.

The tray includes a fiat rectangular plate 21 which is secured bysuitable fastening elements 22 to the lower face of the longitudinallyextending side bars 8, which form side flanges for the tray to preventarticles from being readily displaced off of the same. The transversebrace bars 17 and 18 extend slightly above the upper surface of theplate 21 as clearly shown in Figure 40f the drawings,so as to permitcrumbs or the like to be readily brushed off of the tray.

Directly in rear of the tray 20 and below the same is positioned atriangular shaped seat 23 on which the baby is adapted to sit. Thetriangular shaped seat 23 is supported by elastic straps 2e and 25 whichare ar-' ranged respectively at the front and rear ends of the seat. Thestrap 24 is looped as at 26 and extended around the intermediatesupporting transverse bar '18. The rear supporting straps 25 have theirupper terminals looped as at 27 and extended around the rear transversebar 16. The lower terminals of the supporting straps 24c and 25' aresecured to. the seat 23 bysuitable fastening elements 28 as clearlyshown in Figure 2 of the drawings; l/Vhen it is desired to toys, such asrattles, balls, rings and the like,

within easy reach of the baby so that the bab can play with the samewhen so desired. The 'rack 29 includes a pairof spaced uprights 30 andthecross bar 31 to which the toys are adapted to be tied by suitablestrings or cords. The lowerends of the uprights 30 are reduced andfitted in sockets 32 formed in the longitudinally extending 'bars 8 andthe reduced ends are held against displacement by the fastening elements22. The rack 29 may also be used with high-chairs and the like, and thelower ends of the uprights 30 can be readily fitted in sockets formed inthe upper surface of the tray or marginal flanges of the tray.

in shipping the improved baby walker, the legs 5 are removed from theupper frame 9 and laid on the upper surface of the same.

WV hen the legs?) have been removed from the upper section, thelongitudinall extending side bars 10 and the transverse bars 13 formingthe lower frame section 12 are also removed from the legs and placedupon the upper surface of the upper frame 9. The upri hts 30 of the rack29 are removed from the sockets 32 and the rack is placed on the uppersurface of the frame 9 with the other portions of the walker. This formsa relatively flat article which will occupy a minimum amount of space inshipping or storing.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that an improved babywalker has been provided, which is exceptionally simple and durable inconstruction, and one which will effectively teach the baby how to walk.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit orscope of the invention; but,

I claim:

1. baby walker comprising upper and lower frames, legs connecting theframes, caster wheels carried by the lower terminals of the legs, theupper frame including side bars and cross bars, a tray secured to thelower surface of the side bars, the side bars and certain of the crossbars forming -marginal flanges for the tray, the side bars beingarrangedslightly above the upper surface ofthe tray.

2. A baby walker comprising an upper substantially rectangular frame, alower substantially rectangular frame, diverging legs connecting theframes, rollers carried by the lower terminalsof the legs, the upperframe including longitudinally extending side bars, transverselyextending end bars, and a transversely extending intermediate bar, theintermediate bar being arranged relatively near the forward endtransverse bar, a .tray secured to the lower surface of the side barsadj acentto the forward'end thereof and disposed below the forwardtransverse bar, and the intermediate transverse bar, a seat arranged inrear of and below the tray, and straps connecting the seat with'the reartransverse bar and intermediate the transverse bar.

EDWIN L. BOWMAN.

